Quick Ramen Noodle Soup
This Quick Ramen Noodle Soup only takes 15 minutes to make, and gets its great depth of flavor and richness from two secret ingredients. This is the perfect weeknight meal that’s fast and easy to customize.
I was really tempted to call this something like “faker’s ramen noodle soup” because instead of the 3 days that an authentic ramen requires, this one takes about 15 minutes and has a ton of flavor.
Despite its short cooking time, we start with a ton of aromatics as the base and add plenty of umami so the broth takes on a deeply rich flavor, without a long simmering time!
So if you’re a fan of ramen soup but don’t feel like spending three days simmering chicken bones and pork bones, definitely give this one a try. It’s a good compromise between instant ramen using that questionable seasoning packet, and the real stuff.
It also reminds me of another one of my favorite meals: Ramen Noodle Stir Fry. You can never go wrong with Asian noodle dishes!
Tips for Best Results
Use good soy sauce and fish sauce – To add umami to the broth, we will use soy sauce and fish sauce. Make sure to use good quality brands, as there’s HUGE variability there. My favorite brands of soy sauce are San-J, Lee Kum Kee, and Kikkoman. Stay away from La Choy as well as grocery brands. For fish sauce, I recommend Red Boat or Tiparos.
Use fresh aromatics – To make the broth really flavorful and aromatic, we’ll start with fresh garlic, scallions, and ginger. Make sure to use the fresh stuff from the produce section, and not jarred ginger. It makes a big difference!
Save the noodles until the very end – Make sure that the broth is exactly to your liking in terms of seasoning before adding the noodles. For the best eating experience, you won’t want to risk overcooking the noodles, so they should be the very last thing you add.
Another bonus to this recipe is that all of the ingredients should be easy to find in any typical grocery store. I love visiting asian markets sometimes for unusual things, but there’s nothing there that’s very out of the ordinary.
In other words, anyone can make this! College students rejoice in leaving those instant ramen noodles behind 😂
Step by Step Overview:
Start by adding minced garlic, sliced scallions, grated fresh ginger, cooking fat, and sriracha to a big soup pot or large saucepan:
Cook for about a minute, over medium-high or medium heat, until the scallions have softened and the garlic smells aromatic, but isn’t scorching. These ingredients make for a really flavorful soup.
Then add chicken stock (or broth) and beef stock:
As I mention in the full video below, I like adding a mix of the two broths because it keeps the flavor of the soup from being one-note. The mix gives a really nice flavor.
Recommended Broths
I once did a taste test comparing several brands of chicken broth, and the differences were staggering. Since you’re not making the broth yourself from the whole bird, a lot of the deliciousness hinges on starting with a good broth. My favorite brands are Imagine and Swanson, but you may want to do your own taste test with the options available at your local grocery store.
I also recommend determining if you prefer broth or stock more. Although many people think of them as interchangeable, they are different. Broths are typically made more with meat whereas stocks are made more with bones, giving a different type of mouthfeel. Either will work here, it’s just personal preference.
Next, add soy sauce and fish sauce to the pot:
These are the secret ingredients that give the rich broth a depth of flavor and complexity.
Finally, drop in some ramen noodles, and eggs if you’re making them, and cook for three minutes, until the noodles are al dente:
How to Serve
Serve the ramen noodle soup with extra green onions, or any other toppings you wish to add. If you enjoy it, add a teaspoon of sesame oil or chili oil for more aroma.
To increase the protein, I sometimes add leftover Crockpot Chicken Breast, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. A soft-boiled egg is also a great addition.
More of my other favorite soups are this Quick Chicken Noodle Soup, Carrot Coconut Soup, and Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili. Enjoy, my friends! And here is a step-by-step video of the ramen soup if you’d like more guidance.
Recipe Variations
Mushrooms – Add sliced mushrooms at the beginning with the aromatics. Shiitake mushrooms are great, as are maitake or “hen of the woods” mushrooms.
Vegetables – Add thinly sliced baby bok choy or any quick-cooking vegetable you wish at the beginning with the aromatics.
Recipe Tips and FAQ
If possible, I recommend storing the noodles and the broth separately, as otherwise, the noodles will become overly soft. Keep both separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, but I recommend storing the noodles and the broth separately. Keep in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
The stovetop and microwave are best. For the stovetop, heat the desired amount of broth in a pot over medium high heat, until boiling. Then add the noodles and serve. For the microwave, heat the desired amount of broth in 30-second intervals until boiling, then add the noodles and serve.
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Quick Ramen Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking fat of choice *
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 4 scallions sliced (white and green parts)
- 1/2 tsp chili sauce or sriracha
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp fish sauce**
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- 4 eggs optional
- 12 ounce package ramen noodles
Instructions
- Place the cooking fat, garlic, ginger, scallions, and chili sauce in a dutch oven or large pot and cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and the scallions start to soften.
- Add the chicken stock, beef broth, fish sauce, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Taste and adjust as necessary (I add about a cup of water to reduce saltiness).
- Add your eggs, if cooking, and the noodles to the boiling soup, and cook for about 3 minutes (the noodles I use require about 3 minutes, but follow the package instructions).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
69 Comments on “Quick Ramen Noodle Soup”
Thank you so much! I make this almost every night and It’s SO good! (Without fish Sauce. Its too fishy for me TwT . But my hubby loves it.)
It’s quick and full of flavor. A bit on the salty side but still super yummy and for me the eggs are a must have.
Love this recipe! It makes for such a quick rich broth – I used a mix of vegetable and better than bouillon mushroom base. So good and easy to customize!
This recipe has become a goto basic for me. Quick, simple and delicious!